The Jayhawks - Paging Mr. Proust (Vinyl) 2016

I have a rule that you should never doubt a release by The Jayhawks.  While my musical tastes have changed over time, there is always room for the sweet sounds of The Jayhawks and the voice of Gary Louris.  I lived in Minnesota for a few wonderful years and this band always makes me feel so Minnesota. Those from the upper Midwest of the US will understand the term, "Feeling Minnesota".  Trust me, it is a good thing.  The Jayhawks should be a bigger band and Gary Louris should be considered a national institution - yet another one from Minnesota (i.e., Prince).  Alas, we do not live in that kind of world.  However, you can always go and buy this album and state your vote for one of the best truly American bands over the last 25 years(?). By the way, on pretty much every Jayhawks album there is one drop-dead gorgeous song that should be a million copies seller. For this album, it is Lovers of the Sun. Check it out.  Majestic.

The Turtles - All the Singles (CD) 2016

I have always loved all the big radio hits of The Turtles.  You know which ones I am talking about.  Song like Happy Together, Elenore, and You Showed Me.  The latter song being a personal favorite. However, much like my surprise discovery of the back catalog of The Beach Boys, The Turtles also have a wealth of beautiful pop music in their back catalog (and that they released on 45!).  If you like melodic pop music with flirtations (later) with psychedelic music then do yourself a favor and get this compilations.  Two CDs worth of music that spans the years 1965 until 1970.  Yes, some of the B sides are a little odd but they are odd in a charming way.  Well, maybe not so much Umbassa the Dragon. 

Before I listened to this CD, The Turtles for me were a good band with a couple of great songs.  After listening to this CD, The Turtles were more than that and the recordings on this compilation are a great showcase.  Glad to add this to the collection.

Night Beats - Who Sold My Generation (Vinyl) 2016

I have been catching up on my records that have been sitting in my living room un-played for months.  The new Night Beats records was one of those albums.  I knew that I would like it once I actually played the record but for some reason something always came up or I felt at that precise moment that I needed to listen to something else. 

I first encountered the band Night Beats through my Dallas music guide, Jacob, from Good Records. As soon as I would walk into the store he would put three records in front of me and tell me, "You are going to like this". Sure enough, he was right about 99% of the time.

So, what can I say about Night Beats? They are a "psychedelic" band from Austin, Texas. I put psychedelic in quotes because I am not sure what that word really means today but let's just say that Night Beats have late 60s influences. So, how good is this record? It is really good. For a taste of what you get check out Right/Wrong  Enjoy that groove? If you do you will like the rest of the LP for sure. All hail Night Beats!

Various Artists - That'll Flat Git It! Vol. 20: Rockabilly From The Vaults of Event Records (CD) 2004

Man...this just flat out rocks!  This is pure unadulterated original rockabilly.  I love these types of compilations because they do a great job of giving you large amounts of great music (37 tracks) for a price cheaper than trying to find and buy the original 45s (assuming you can even find them).  This is Volume 20 (I also picked up Volume 24).  If you have the slightest interest in this genre (and you should), then go out and try some of these compilations out.  They are fun and since it is put out by Bear Family, the liner notes are top notch.  Here is a taste of Curtis Johnson - Lover Boy

By the way, this compilation concentrates on the output of the Event label out of Maine!

Cheatahs - Mythologies (Vinyl) 2015

Blown away by the first Cheatahs EP and the debut album was also good.  It was the intense, frenzied, melodic guitar lines that really captured me.  The sound reminded me of the first Teenage Fanclub album or early Swervedriver.  This is the second LP by Cheatahs and it is good.  The intense guitar playing is still there but those melodic, cutting guitar lines are less prominent. The music is still melodic but it lacks that bite that the first EP contained.  This album seems to be soaked in fuzz and reverb.  In fact, the first couple of times I played this record I checked my needle because it sounded muddy.  On inspection I realized that my needle was fine and it was just the way the record was supposed to sound! I still recommend this album and I have played a few times since I purchased the record. While not as amazing as that first EP, this is still a damn good record and a damn good band.  For a taste of what Cheatahs sounds like listen to Red Lakes, the opening song on the album.

I have high hopes for this band and they have not failed me yet.  One of my favorite new bands out there.